Dry Cup

ABSTRACT

This invention is comprised of geometric features that are added to the bottom side of a common ceramic coffee cup or mug, and can be used on any drinking vessel. It is designed to allow the vessel to dry completely during the typical wash and dry cycle of a common dishwasher. The current art has a concave bottom which retains water and debris even after the wash and dry cycle is over, and then spills that water and debris when it is pulled out of the dishwasher and set right side up. My invention has a convex bottom that does not retain water or debris, and has legs around the bottom edge to hold the vessel upright, not letting the radius of the convex feature at the bottom to touch the flat surface the vessel will sit on when in normal use.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention may be considered to be in the field of culinary implements. However, it is more accurately described as a drinking vessel. These items are generally referred to as Cups, Mugs, Glasses, etc.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND PRIOR ART

The idea behind this invention is to solve a problem that currently exist with the way drinking vessels and similar shaped vessels or items are manufactured; not so much the process of manufacturing, but the end product's shape and design. These items are currently and generally built in such a way that does not allow for liquids or other materials to run off the bottom side surface when positioned in a certain way, when the item is washed in a dishwasher or similar method of washing. These vessels generally display a feature that would allow for accumulation of liquids and or debris on the bottom side of the vessel which is very undesirable.

EXAMPLE

Current designs and manufacturing processes produce drinking vessels with either a very flat bottom to provide a stable surface when the vessel is placed on a flat surface, or a concave bottom, such as in most ceramic coffee cups or mugs, to provide a stable surface on the perimeter of the bottom of the vessel. It is the latter that I am most concerned with because that is the type of design that allows liquid or material to settle in that concave part of the coffee cup or mug, especially when the vessel is place in a dishwasher. Generally speaking, the dishwasher does not fully dry these types of vessels within the normal wash and dry cycle, so water and debris remains in that concave part of the vessel for a period of time much longer than it normally takes to dry the rest of the items typically placed in the dishwasher. Then when the vessel is removed from the dishwasher shortly after the wash and dry cycle is complete, the water and/or debris that remains in the concave area of the vessel typically spills from that concave area when the vessel is removed from the dishwasher and turned right side up.

DESCRIPTION

My invention addresses this problem by applying a deliberate shape or geometric design to the bottom of the vessel. This design is different than what is currently used in the ceramic drinkware industry, and would allow for the runoff of liquid and or debris from the area that would normally allow for liquid or debris to accumulate. This new design may be employed as part of a newly manufactured vessel, or it could be employed as a device that would be place on an existing vessel to provide similar utility, and could be either a permanent addition to a vessel or it can be a removable addition to an existing vessel.

Example of Invention

The drawings submitted show a typical coffee cup/mug with my new feature/invention on the bottom side of the mug. I have designed the bottom of the mug to have a convex shape instead of the concave shape that current ceramic mugs have, including some non-ceramic mugs. This convex shape prevents liquid and or debris from collecting on the bottom side while being washed in a dishwasher. My design also has a series of legs (some might refer to them as feet) which support the mug in such a way that the bottom of the convex feature would not contact the flat surface that the mug would normally be placed on when in use, thereby giving the mug stability. The legs (or feet) may be as many or as few as the manufacturer wants to place on the bottom of the mug. However, the legs must be of a shape, size and quantity to allow for liquid or debris to run off adequately while providing stability for the mug when placed on a flat surface.

There are no specific materials or manufacturing processes that would be unique to my invention. In other words, this design may be employed by manufacturers using an injection molding processes, various ceramic manufacturing processes, machining process or any method of manufacturing. Historically, typical materials used for similar products would be plastic, glass, ceramic, metals, wood or wood products. The essence of this design is to provide a deliberate way of channeling liquid and or debris from a vessel that would otherwise accumulate in a specific area and spill when the vessel is removed from a dishwasher or similar device, or when placed in an upright position after removal from such a device. This invention not only provides for a practical way of channeling water and other substances from the bottom of a vessel, but also provides a unique appearance that is distinguishable from all other vessels, especially the common coffee cup, mugs and similar vessels. This invention also provides for a method to insulate or isolate the bottom of the vessel (the convex portion of the mug) from the surface the mug will sit on when in use. By minimizing this contact area, there is less thermal transfer from the mug to the surface the mug sits on, thereby keeping hot drinks warmer longer, and cold drinks cooler longer. This design also reduces condensation on the surface the mug sits on because air is allowed to circulate under most of the mug and the surface the mug sits on.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION (LINE DRAWING)

View—1 is an overall representation of a typical mug with my design. It is depicted in a simulated translucent form to help visualize the design.

View—2 is a side view of the mug showing the convex bottom and legs, and how the legs would typically be arranged around the perimeter of the bottom of the mug.

View—3 is a view of the mug with the handle pointing directly at the viewer. This view is a 90-degree counterclockwise rotation of View—3.

View—4 is a magnified view of the circled portion of View—3.

View—5 is a cross-section of View—3, where the section is taken from the center of the handle through the entire mug. This section clearly shows the convex shape at the bottom of the mug.

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAWING

This solid model drawing is submitted to give the patent examiner a more realistic view of some of the details, which include the convex bottom and the legs. 

I claim:
 1. A series of features that when added together to the bottom of any drinking vessel or similar item will prevent liquid or debris from collecting on the bottom side of said vessel when washed in a common dishwasher or similar device. These features collectively will allow the vessel to be removed completely dry from the dishwasher after the normal dry cycle. (a) A convex bottom to allow liquid and debris to roll off and not accumulate while being washed and or rinsed in a common dishwasher, thereby allowing the vessel to fully dry during the normal dry cycle of a dishwasher. (b) A series of legs or feet that extend from the lower perimeter of the vessel which will stabilize the vessel when in normal use. These same legs or feet prevent most of the bottom of the vessel from contacting the flat surface the vessel is to be normally placed on, and creating an open-air gap to slow the thermal transfer of the substance inside the vessel to the surface it sits on. 